“Coach Pancake” by Gabriel Olson
Meet Coach Andres "Pancake" Baena, a colombian immigrant who came to the United States with nothing, but was the son of a Colombian Professional Player. He excelled from a young age and was drafted to play at a D1 school, only to give it up to take care of his mother after a cancer diagnosis. Giving up his dream, he found his path was nurturing children in the game of soccer from the age of 2 to 7, teaching them to be kind, confident on and off the soccer pitch.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
“I’ve always been fascinated by stories of people who embody the change they want to see in the world—those who, even through small, incremental efforts, manage to make a meaningful difference. This short film gave me the chance to explore the story of someone who has profoundly impacted hundreds of children, including my own son, by fostering confidence, resilience, and kindness — through soccer training of all things.
I don’t think I fully appreciated the magic of the environment Coach Pancake creates until I saw the growth and transformation in my son firsthand. This project allowed me to uncover just a glimpse of what drives Coach Pancake and how he views his role in shaping young lives. I walked away inspired to do more in my own life.
Much of my filmmaking work takes place in the world of advertising, which I thoroughly enjoy, but I rarely have the opportunity to choose the subjects or the people I interview. Working on this documentary was a refreshing change. It felt deeply personal to focus on someone who has touched my own life and to channel that positive energy into rallying a talented team of collaborators I’ve worked with on commercials for years.”
-Gabriel Olson
CREDITS
Talent// Andres “Pancake” Baena/ @andres_baena_ of @ab_futnol_school
Director & Producer// Gabriel Olson/ @gabrielolson_director
Cinematographer// Bongani Mlambo/ @bongaj, Brian Beck with @bbthedp
Editor// Joelle Graham/ @joellebrianne
Composer// Kevin Lax/ @levinlaxcomposer
Sound Designer// Joe Dzuban
Color// Logan Highlen/ @lhighlen - @millchannel @millchannelcolour
Grip & Lighting/ @heywhatsyourfaceinc
Send Us Your Film
Hey filmmakers! Have a project of your own you’d like us to check out?